“Have you all understood the rules of the contest?” When no one else entered the square, Gan Qing’s gaze swept across the field, and he asked loudly. “Understood,” came a chorus of responses as the contestants acknowledged Gan Qing’s question. “Good, since everyone understands, I now declare…” Gan Qing slowly raised his hand, and under the watchful eyes of countless spectators, it slammed down with a resounding boom: “The final round of the Inner Academy Selection, elimination match, begins now!”
With a thunderous roar, the once quiet arena erupted into a chaotic storm as dozens of varied colored Dou Qi surged forth, causing a dazzling display of power. The arena was filled with the sound of muffled clashes as figures darted and weaved, most retreating rapidly towards the edges, wary of being ambushed in this battlefield where enemies lurked everywhere.
On the stands, the crowd erupted in a cacophony of excited cheers as they witnessed the immediate onset of fierce battles. Many were shouting their throats raw, cheering for their favorite contestants. This grand spectacle was far more exhilarating than the usual single-round contests, stirring the audience to a fever pitch.
“Haha, the Vice-Chancellor’s idea is quite commendable. Although it might not be perfectly fair, it cultivates a cautious mindset in these young ones, who must constantly guard against hidden threats. Additionally, those who team up will gradually understand the strength of unity. This is a good move,” remarked an elderly man on the central stand, smiling at Gan Qing beside him.
“I merely wanted to try something new, tired of the same old round-based battles. It seems to be working out well, although some of the less sociable students may struggle a bit, unable to rely on others to guard their backs,” Gan Qing chuckled, his eyes scanning the chaotic arena.
Inside the arena, sporadic clashes erupted, but many were clearly wary of surprise attacks from behind. Even when engaged in combat, they would quickly retreat, never daring to get drawn into prolonged battles, constantly scanning their surroundings, and swiftly attacking or retreating at the slightest provocation.
Although the initial chaos was intense, after several people were violently expelled from the arena by successive attacks, the remaining contestants began to learn from their mistakes. Those who recognized familiar faces rushed to form alliances, while those without such connections sought out similarly lone individuals. While these temporary alliances lacked perfect cohesion and trust, they were the best option available.
With his heavy scale pointing diagonally, Xiao Yan stood at the edge of the square alongside Xun’er, their bodies enveloped in a mix of green and golden Dou Qi. The two emitted a powerful aura, deterring disoriented contestants from approaching them. They remained outside the fray, knowing that the chaos would not last long. Once Bai Shan and the others formed their teams, the arena would settle into a pattern of multiple strong forces, each constraining the other, reducing the overall chaos.
Amid the deafening cheers from the stands, contestants were continuously expelled from the arena, and recorders around the perimeter quickly noted the names of those eliminated. As time passed, the chaos in the arena finally began to subside. With the cautionary tales of those who had been ejected, scattered individuals started to seek allies. The number of mixed battles decreased, while small teams of two or more grew in number.
As the individual skirmishes evolved into team battles, Xiao Yan and Xun’er finally found themselves able to remain on the sidelines. When a team of four failed to overwhelm them and was instead completely expelled, Xiao Yan abandoned his passive stance. He gripped his heavy scale, stepped forward, and unleashed a torrent of green Dou Qi, exerting the oppressive might of a Great Dou Master.
Shortly after Xiao Yan revealed his Great Dou Master aura, five other equally formidable auras surged into the fray, each claiming a section of the square. Xiao Yan identified three as belonging to Bai Shan, Hu Jia, and Wu Hao, while the other two were unfamiliar. Each of these newcomers was accompanied by a group of four or five strong contestants, making them the strongest forces after Bai Shan’s trio.
Most teams in the arena had already revealed their strength, with the strongest being Bai Shan, Hu Jia, and Wu Hao’s teams. Among these, Wu Hao’s team exuded the most formidable aura, followed by the two teams led by Great Dou Masters.
These five teams were the strongest in the arena. Outside these, there were a few two-person teams and even some solo contestants, including Xiao Yan and Xun’er. Despite their small numbers, no one dared to underestimate this duo, given their formidable reputation.
“Xiao Yan, where do we strike next?” Xun’er asked, smiling as she observed the clearly defined territories in the arena.
“Let’s wait for now. There are still at least thirty people in the arena, including powerhouses like Bai Shan and Wu Hao. If we don’t use our trump cards, we can’t handle them all. So, let’s wait for them to weaken each other. Bai Shan, Wu Hao, and Hu Jia might want to eliminate us, but they also fear being ambushed. For now, we don’t need to worry about direct attacks,” Xiao Yan said, resting his heavy scale on his shoulder.
Xun’er nodded, her slender hands shimmering with blinding golden light, emanating a formidable energy that even Xiao Yan found impressive.
As Xiao Yan predicted, despite viewing him and Xun’er as their main rivals, Bai Shan and the others did not dare to attack yet. The three teams exchanged glances and began to systematically expel or absorb the smaller groups, aiming to clear the field for their final showdown.
With the strongest teams driving out the weaker ones, the only remaining force was Xiao Yan and Xun’er’s duo. The rest either fled or were forcibly expelled. Watching the scattered contestants, Xiao Yan pondered for a moment before stepping forward and shouting, “Anyone without a team, if you don’t want to finish badly, come over here.”
Hearing Xiao Yan’s call, the stranded contestants felt a surge of hope. Faced with the expulsion by the three strongest teams, even those with Great Dou Masters as their leaders dared not take them in. Now, with Xiao Yan’s offer, they eagerly rushed towards him and Xun’er.
Xiao Yan’s shout attracted the remaining seven contestants, instantly swelling their team to a size comparable to Bai Shan’s. However, their strength was still inferior. Nonetheless, Xiao Yan only needed them to help reduce the numbers of their opponents.
While Xiao Yan’s move garnered loyalty, it irked Bai Shan, Hu Jia, and Wu Hao. Bai Shan, in particular, was frustrated that his efforts were benefiting his hated rival. His face darkened as he signaled his eight strong followers to move towards Xiao Yan’s group, seemingly ready to confront them.
Seeing Bai Shan and his group approach, Xiao Yan’s eyebrows rose, and he readied his heavy scale, coldly saying, “Can’t hold back any longer?”
Beside him, Xun’er also watched the approaching group, her body enveloped in a dense golden aura, ready for battle.
“Bai Shan, have four of you drive out the stragglers behind Xiao Yan, and another four contain Xun’er. I’ll deal with Xiao Yan,” Bai Shan commanded, brandishing a silver-white spear, clearly a weapon enhanced with a magic core.
His team split and moved according to his instructions.
“Xun’er, prepare for battle!” Xiao Yan said, smiling as he faced the advancing group.
“Okay,” Xun’er nodded, her golden aura glowing, incredibly alluring.
As Bai Shan’s team launched their attack, Wu Hao and Hu Jia also began to target the remaining teams. The most thrilling clash was finally upon them, and the stands erupted in a thunderous cheer.
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